This week, Catholics across the country pause to celebrate Catholic Schools Week - a time to give thanks for the ministry of Catholic education and the countless students, teachers, families, and supporters who help it flourish... As we celebrate this week, we offer prayers of thanksgiving... The Annual Catholic Appeal is underway once again... This year's theme is “Together We Bring Light”...

As we enter ordinary time, I want to pause for a moment and offer my immense gratitude to everyone who made our Christmas liturgies prayerful, joyful, and beautiful... Lent is around the corner; Wednesday, February 18, is Ash Wednesday... This first joint Vigil will take place at Saint Catherine of Siena-Saint Lucy and Saint Giles Parish, at the Saint Giles Church site...

As we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, we should note this fact, that through our own Baptism we are anointed priest, prophet, and king as members of the Body of Jesus Christ... Baptism also calls us to more; a powerful thought as we enter the new year as followers of Christ... - As the Baptized in Christ, the Word of God we hear week after week offers us balance: courage without naivete, compassion without indifference...

As we begin a new year and celebrate the Feast of the Epiphany, many individuals and families do so carrying uncertainty rather than clarity... The Magi followed a star - not a detailed map... At the heart of that light is the Eucharist... On behalf of Father Rex, Father Bob. Father Vittorio, Father Tom, Father Larry, Father Ed and Father David, Happy Epiphany and Happy New Year to all...

As we continue to celebrate the Christmas season, our faith reminds us that hope is not rooted in perfect circumstances, but in God’s steady presence with us, especially in times of struggle. What an important message as we approach the New Year 2026... Christian hope is not a denial of reality; it is trust that God is at work even when answers are unclear. The Holy Family is a great example of this...

Welcome to all who gather with us this Christmas, parishioners, visitors, family and friends... In this holy season we pause to remember the heart of Christmas: God is with us. In a world that often feels uncertain and divided, the birth of Christ brings light, hope, and peace... May your time with us fill you with the warmth of God’s presence, the joy of Christ’s birth, and the comfort of knowing this community welcomes you, any time...

As we enter this fourth Sunday of Advent, our hearts naturally turn toward Christmas with anticipation and joy... When we return for Christmas, it is important to remember that things may not look or feel like a typical Sunday... Because of this, both I and the parish staff ask you to PLAN AHEAD... Thanks to all who took part in our giving tree programs at all our parish sites...

This weekend we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, traditionally known as Gaudete Sunday or Joy Sunday... Amid Advent’s hopeful waiting and quiet preparation, the Church invites us to pause and rejoice because Christ’s coming is near... Today let us remember that Advent joy becomes a quiet but powerful witness that doesn’t deny pain but proclaims that God’s light is stronger than any darkness...

This weekend (December 13, 2025), we remember one of the Patron Saints of our newly combined parish family, St. Catherine of Siena-ST. LUCY and St. Giles, of our Catholic Communities of Oak Park and Neighbors... Let us remember St. Lucy this weekend and ask her to pray for us that we may carry Christ’s light with courage, walk with clear vison, and be a source of hope for one another...

Today in our second reading Paul talks about “Christ Jesus” and the “God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.”... This is why Paul says, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."... This weekend we pray for and bless Deacon Kevin Morgan and his wife Marci as they now have a new parish assignment...

Welcome to the Advent Season! - This time of year, Advent, reminds us that we are always waiting - but never waiting alone... We wait by trusting that God is faithful to His promise. We wait by tending to prayer, by small acts of kindness, by choosing patience over anxiety... In this holy season, we have chosen ALWAYS WAITING IN HOPE, as the focus for our thoughts and prayers...

With a Heart Full of Gratitude... As we celebrate Thanksgiving, I want you to know how truly grateful I am for you. Because of your support, our community continues to grow in faith while reaching out to those who need God's love... On behalf of our clergy and staffs, we wish you and your loved ones a peaceful and meaningful Thanksgiving...

Thanksgiving is upon us, and so is the beginning of our new liturgical year which begins next week, the first Sunday of Advent. Our theme reminds us of one of the gifts we can be grateful for, hope. Always waiting, in HOPE!... May this season renew our hope, soften our hearts where needed, and remind us that GRATITUDE is itself a blessing that draws us closer to God and one another...

As the season of Thanksgiving is upon us, I am grateful for two important events that happened quietly and with little fanfare... The former Saint Catherine of Siena-St. Lucy Rectory is now being used as offices for Housing Forward, The Bridge Center and Faith and Fellowship Ministry... Dominican University gave our Migrant Ministry the Bradford O’Neil Medallion for Social Justice...

This month has been designated for highlighting the legacy of Black Catholics in the Church. On July 24, 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States formally established November as Black Catholic History Month... Through the centuries, Black Catholics have endured oppression, discrimination, and marginalization even within the Church,...

As I celebrate Masses at each of our churches, I am continually inspired by many of our seniors across the parishes whose lives reflect both wisdom and vitality. Their quiet strength, deep faith, and joyful spirit reveal something beautiful about what it means to grow older with grace... Our seniors remind us daily that joy and purpose do not fade with time...

Last week I attended two events that highlighted the gifts and strength of our Oak Park Catholic communities and neighbors working together... As Pastor, I am so proud and pleased of the work so many have done to share these visions and help to make them a reality... What our world needs more of is what we are already doing: living hope through action!...

Sister JoAnn Persch and Sister Pat Murphy are members of the Sisters of Mercy. For the past 40 years they have had a ministry of persistence. There motto is, “We do things peacefully and respectfully. But we never take no for an answer.”... Today, we hear three inspiring stories of people with limited resources or skills who persevere in their tasks...

While Father Carl is on Vacation, our Oak Park Parishes' Operations Directors offer some parish updates... Carlos Guerrero: I want to begin by thanking you for your ongoing support of the parish. Fr. Carl and all of us on the staff appreciate each one of you... Matt Brophy: When I started working at the parish in January 2021, Father Carl wondered if I would have enough work to keep me busy...

The simple phrase “What would Jesus do?” has guided Christians for generations... When we ask, “What would Jesus do?’ the answer is NEVER hatred, fear, or exclusion, but it is ALWAYS mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and truth spoken in love... In the end, the question is not only “What would Jesus do?” but also “What will we do?” As followers of Christ, we are called to be different...